The topic of sponsored content and sponsored posts comes up again and again in the blog world. While it seems simple to me: be transparent, always disclose, be honest….the truth is in the blog world, transparency isn’t a given and there isn’t a honest-o-meter we can hold posts up to in order to verify their accuracy.
At the end of the day, I don’t think bloggers who accepts sponsored content are sell outs. There isn’t a magical ratio of original work to sponsored work that makes your blog ok or not ok. Everyone has a balance, and many bloggers seem to operate well in that balance. That said there is a lot of fishy business out there, things that make me dislike or stop trusting an endorsement. Some bloggers probably commit these sins innocently, but others actions seem to come across in a more calculated manner.
In no particular order, top sins of the seedy underbelly of sponsored content include…..
1. Not disclosing sponsored content in the post title. If you tweet or share your posts, and only the title and first few words are given, you need to make it clear to anyone clicking over that they are delving into something that is sponsored. I don’t mind reading sponsored content. I will stop reading your blog entirely if I feel like you tricked me into reading sponsored content. Transparency shouldn’t be the last thing you think about or an afterthought.
2. Working with company X, then working with company Y and not discussing your switch. So lets say a few years ago, you blogged about an awesome company that made mixers (you know, the kitchen kind). You loved their mixers! They gave you a mixer! You gave away a mixer to your readers! Everyone is happy. Then a few years later, you start working with another company. They give you a mixer! You rave about the mixer! You give one away to your readers…except this time you seem like a big old liar. Everyone is free to switch brand loyalty, but if you don’t talk about why you switched or in what instances X and Y are better/worse, then I’m left thinking that you either think I’m stupid (no one will notice that you are schilling for a new mixer brand!) or you are greedy (how many free high end mixers can you score?!). Either way your endorsement of both mixers comes across as fake, and in turn, so do you. In some blogging circles the hot thing is day planners, and the tides seem to change every few years on what brand of planner is the coveted favorite. But when bloggers only mention their past endorsements with a cursory “my life changed and so did my planner” it leaves people wondering if you really love the planner…or the paycheck/affiliate links/free products you are getting out of it.
3. Hashtag city. If you share a product you love and you hashtag the brand or “@ reply” to the brand, hey, cool. Everyone likes to share the love. But when your photo or tweet includes more than two hashtags that are brand specific I start wondering if you are promoting them without disclosing…or trolling for free stuff. If you are angling for free things, I suppose that is your own business, but you should know that it leaves a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths. It just seems….blatant? Greedy? Forward? None of those are particuarly positive attributes.
Some people think there is no way to authentically write sponsored content. I tend to disagree- if I can write about a brand or experience I like and be compensated in some way, I’m happy to do that. But when I’m reading and I feel like I’m being tricked or used…..well, that isn’t very “social” to me. You can use your social media accounts and channels in whatever way you choose, but sometimes I find myself wondering about people who make it seem like a friendly little endeavor….as long as they can make money off of their “friends”.
(Anyone need a slightly squished soapbox? I only stood on it for a little while.)
